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March 17, 1964 w, BAKER 3,125,340

DIVING BOARD STRUCTURE Original Filed April 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 16. .9, j w a;

I N V EN TOR. M 1. MM 0; B91658 United States Patent 3,125,340 DIVING BOARD STRUCTURE William i). Baker, West Covina, Califl, assignor to Swimquip, Inc, El Monte, Caiih, a COIPGIBHGII of California Original application Apr. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 807,506, now Patent No. 3,030,108, dated Apr. 7, 1962. Divided and this application Sept. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 61,800

3 Claims. (Cl. 272-66) This invention relates to swimming pool equipment, and particularly to a diving board structure.

A diving board structure includes three parts: an anchor to which one end of the board is aifixed; a fulcrum beyond which the board is cantilevered and upon which the board rests; and, of course, the board proper.

The need for an adjustable fulcrum structure has previously been recognized. Thus, the relative position of the fulcrum along the board afliects the flexibility of the board as well as its periodic characteristics. Even if divers could agree upon a standard, it would be to no avail since the divers weight is also a variable. Hence, an adjustable fulcrum structure is used wherever the difference in divers preference deserve attention, as, for example, in competitions.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simplified adustable fulcrum structure that is capable of quick pedal adjustment by the diver himself when he is on the board proper.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 807,506, filed April 20, 1959, entitled Diving Board Structure, now Patent No. 3,030,108, issued April 17, 1962.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a diving board structure incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view taken along the plane indicated by line 3-3, of FIG. 2 and illustrating the adjustable fulcrum structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane indicated by line 55 of FIG. 3.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a diving board supported by the aid of an anchor 11 and a fulcrum 12.

The anchor 11 and the fulcrum 12 are suspended by the aid of parallel bars 13 and 14 forming a part of a diving board frame. The bars 13 and 14 are made of metal tubing of circular cross-section. The fulcrum 12 is especially adapted to attach directly to these circular bars. The bars 13 and 14 are spaced from each other in an amount greater than the width of the board 10, which is centered between them, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the board being supported only by the anchor 11 and the fulcrum 12.

In FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the adjustable fulcrum structure is illustrated. A rubber sleeve 55 (FIG. 3) is contacted by the board 10, and is telescoped over a fulcrum roller 56. The fulcrum roller 56 is supported centrally of a longer fulcrum shaft 57 by the aid of sleeve bearings 58 and 59 at opposite ends of the roller 56.

3,125,340 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 In a manner to be described hereinafter, the shaft 57 is caused to move longitudinally of the board and in the direction of the arrow 60 (FIG. 2). The bearings 56 and 59 permit the roller 56 and its rubber sleeve 55 to track along the under side of the board 10 as the shaft is shifted longitudinally.

The shaft 57 is supported for longitudinal adjustment by the aid of rack-s 61 and 62 and pinions 66 and 67. The racks 61 and 62 are mounted upon the bars 13 and 14 by the aid of elongate brackets 64 and 65 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The brackets 64 and 65 are of channel crosssection throughout almost their entire lengths.

The brackets 64 and 65 are companion right and left hand parts oriented symmetrically with respect to each other along the bars 13 and 14 so that the openings of the channels face inwardly toward each other (FIG. 3). Since the brackets, racks and pinions are identical or symmetrical, reference will now be made to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrating the bracket 65, rack 62, pinion 67 and bar 14.

The lower surface of the bracket 65 is cylindrically curved, as at 68, to fit the bar 14. This surface may be coated to ensure a good frictional engagement with the bar 14- and to protect the surface of the bar 14. Bolts 73 and 74 (FIGS. 1 and 2) pass through ends 71 and 72 of the bracket 65, whereby it is mounted upon the bar 14.

The rack 62 rests upon the lower wall inside the channel of the bracket 65. The teeth 76 of the rack are spaced suficiently from the upper wall of the channel to permit entry of the pinion 67. The rack is secured to the bracket 65 by a series of longitudinally spaced screws (FIG. 5) that are recessed beneath the operative portions of the rack teeth 7 6.

The pinion 67 has an inwardly extending hub opposed to the bearing 58 serving as a means for centralizing the fulcrum roller. A pin 77 passes radially through the hub and an opening 78 in the fulcrum shaft to couple the parts.

The rack 62 slopes upwardly as illustrated in exaggerated form in FIG. 1. Thus, the right hand portion of the rack 62 is at an elevation higher than the left hand portion thereof. The desired slight normal upward inclination of the board 10 is thus maintained despite movement of the fulcrum shaft 57, the slope of the rack 62 corresponding to the desired inclination.

To achieve the upward slope of the rack 62, the lower wall of the bracket upon which the rack rests is thicker at the forward end of the bracket than at the rearward end, a gradual taper being provided. This is the basic reason why two companion bracket parts are required instead of one. But this is no material hardship, and standard untapered racks can be used without shims.

For moving the fulcrum shaft 57 and the pinions 66 and 67 coupled thereto, a spinner 81 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided. The fulcrum shaft 57 projects through the bracket 65, an elongate access slot 53 being provided in the central vertical wall of the channel bracket (see also FIG. 1).

The spinner is attached to the projecting end of the shaft 57. For this purpose, the spinner 81 has a central hub 84 provided with a recess 85 in which the end of the shaft 57 is received. A removable screw 86 projects across the recess 05, and couples the spinner 81 to the shaft 57 by passing through a transverse opening 87 in the end of the shaft 57. A simple spring-locking pin could be provided in place of the screw 86, but the screw 86 has a special function, to be hereinafter described.

As the spinner 81 is rotated, the shaft 57 is rotated, as well as the pinions 66 and 67, by the aid of pins at each end, as at 77. The pinions 66 and 67 accordingly track 0 upon the racks 61 and s2, and the fulcrum roller 56 is correspondingly moved.

The spinner 31 is easily rotated by the aid of the toes or foot of a diver without requiring a perilous stoop or awkward reach. For this purpose, the spinner 31 has a plurality of vanes extending radially from the central hub 84. At the end of the vanes, rounded, enlarged portions 89 are formed for easy engagement by the foot of the diver.

The spinner 81 can be installed at either side of the board structure, the fulcrum shaft 57 similarly projecting beyond the opposite bracket 64. If desired, a spinner can be attached at both ends of the fulcrum shaft 57. However, a hub in (P16. 3) is, in this instance, attached to the fulcrum shaft 57 at the bracket 64-.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the upper portions of the attaching brackets 64 and 65 bear scale markings 91 so that the diver is provided with a ready reference as to the position of the fulcrum structure. In use, in diving competitions for example, the diver, by prior experiment, first mentally calibrates the board action relative to the scale markings. Thereafter, the diver simply dials to a selected position.

The force exerted upon the fulcrum structure by the action of diving has no component tending to move the fulcrum roller 56. Hence, the fulcrum roller maintains its position until altered by the spinner 81.

It is sometimes desirable that the fulcrum be maintained in adjusted position beyond the control of the spinner 81. This is easily accomplished by removal of the screw 86. The driving relationship between the spinner 81 and the shaft 57 is accordingly interrupted. The spinner 81 can be rotated upon the end of the shaft 57. To prevent the spinner from being removed, the screw $6 is conveniently inserted through an axial bore 9*1 in the hub 84 and into a threaded recess 93 at the very end of the shaft 57. When the screw is tightened in the recess 93, the head 92 of the screw opposes but does not clamp against the end surface 94 about the bore 91.

The anchor 11 and fulcrum 12 together provide desired action of the board 19. The position of the fulcrum, to achieve desired board action, depends to some extent upon the frictional restraint imposed upon the pivot bar 15.

The inventor claims:

1. An adjustable fulcrum for a diving board, comprising: a fulcrum roller; a shaft upon which the fulcrum roller is angularly movable; pinions carried at opposite ends of the shaft and coupled thereto; a pair of companion right and left hand bracket supports each having a channel-like cross-section throughout a substantial portion of its length; one leg of the channel having an exterior surface that is transversely and concavely arcuate and longitudinally tapered; a pair of spaced parallel circular bars upon which the arcuate legs of the supports are seated; means securing the bracket supports upon corresponding portions of the circular bars respectively, so that the open sides of the supports face each other, and so that the tapered legs of the channel brackets diverge in the same direction; an untapered rack for each bracket, and located within the corresponding channel bracket, and secured to the arcuate, tapered leg thereof; and a spinner carried on the shaft end for pedal engagement; the other leg of at least one of the channel brackets having markings on its outer side whereby the position of the fulcrum roller along the racks is referenced.

2. In an adjustable fulcrum for a diving board, of the class including a fulcrum roller, a shaft upon which the fulcrum roller is angularly movable, a pair of pinions carried by and connected to the shaft, supports having racks cooperable with the pinions, the combination therewith of a pedally engageable spinner having a hub portion attached to said shaft and a series of substantially equiangularly spaced spokes radiating outwardly from the said hub, the spokes being connected together only at the said hub and having pedal elements at their free ends, the angular spacing between said spokes being great enough to permit the foot of a user to freely enter between adjacent spokes and being small enough so that said user when standing on the diving board can conveniently downwardly depress a given pedal element by application of a downward pedal force a sufficient angular distance to bring the next following spoke past vertical orientation to permit further movement of the spinner in the same direction by applications of a downward pedal force by said user on the pedal element of said next following spoke.

3. An adjustable fulcrum for a diving board, comprising a fulcrum roller, a shaft upon which the fulcrum roller is angularly movable, a pair of pinions carried by and connected to the shaft, supports each having racks with which the pinions cooperate, a pedally engageable spinner carried on one end of the shaft beyond the corresponding pinion and rack for rotation of the shaft and the pinions, said shaft having a transverse aperture and an end axial bore, said spinner having a hub provided with a recess for receiving the end of said shaft, said hub also having a transverse aperture and an axial bore respectively registrable with the transverse aperture and the axial bore of said shaft, and a pin in the form of screw selectively cooperable with the apertures or the bores for, respectively, selectively rotativeiy coupling the spinner to the shaft, or for preventing separation of the spinner from the shaft without establishing a rotative coupling therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,032,574 Handley Mar. 3, 1936 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE FULCRUM FOR A DIVING BOARD, COMPRISING: A FULCRUM ROLLER; A SHAFT UPON WHICH THE FULCRUM ROLLER IS ANGULARLY MOVABLE; PINIONS CARRIED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SHAFT AND COUPLED THERETO; A PAIR OF COMPANION RIGHT AND LEFT HAND BRACKET SUPPORTS EACH HAVING A CHANNEL-LIKE CROSS-SECTION THROUGHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF ITS LENGTH; ONE LEG OF THE CHANNEL HAVING AN EXTERIOR SURFACE THAT IS TRANSVERSELY AND CONCAVELY ARCUATE AND LONGITUDINALLY TAPERED; A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL CIRCULAR BARS UPON WHICH THE ARCUATE LEGS OF THE SUPPORTS ARE SEATED; MEANS SECURING THE BRACKET SUPPORT UPON CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF THE CIRCULAR BARS RESPECTIVELY, SO THAT THE OPEN SIDES OF THE SUPPORTS FACE EACH OTHER, AND SO THAT THE TAPERED LEGS OF THE CHANNEL BRACKETS DIVERGE IN THE SAME DIRECTION; AN UNTAPERED RACK FOR EACH BRACKET, AND LOCATED WITHIN THE CORRESPONDING CHANNEL BRACKET, AND SECURED TO THE ARCUATE, TAPERED LEG THEREOF; AND A SPINNER CARRIED ON THE SHAFT END FOR PEDAL ENGAGEMENT; THE OTHER LEG OF AT LEAST ONE OF THE CHANNEL BRACKETS HAVING MARKINGS ON ITS OUTER SIDE WHEREBY THE POSITION OF THE FULCRUM ROLLER ALONG THE RACKS IS REFERENCED. 